Golden export success for popcorn firm

Antrim-based manufacturing food firm, Golden Popcorn has won a major contract estimated to be worth around €1million with Aldi in the Republic of Ireland.

The contract will see Golden Popcorn manufacture popcorn under the Snackrite brand for Aldi in a new multi-bag format for their Irish supermarkets.

Praising Golden Popcorn, Invest Northern Ireland’s Director of Food and Drink, John Hood said: “This deal is a significant win for Golden Popcorn which has quadrupled its market share in the Republic of Ireland in recent years.

“The support we offered to help Golden Popcorn purchase new equipment is helping the company double current production capacity and has enabled it to service a wider range of contracts, particularly in the ROI and GB markets.

“The company’s increasing export sales is most encouraging and we will continue to work closely with the business as it explores new markets, including the Middle East.”

Invest NI has offered Golden Popcorn support of £93,000 towards the purchase and installation of new equipment, and the company’s growth will see an increase in the number of staff employed to 21.

Golden Popcorn currently sells its award winning popcorn to cinemas, retailers and the snack food sectors across the UK and Ireland.

Sean McClinton, Managing Director of Golden Popcorn, said: “We are delighted to secure this contract with Aldi which is a major stepping stone in our growth journey, particularly in the ROI and GB markets.

“Our recent growth in sales has led to us relocating to bigger premises in Antrim and this new investment will help us scale production and triple our export sales over the next few years.

“The support and advice we have received over the years from Invest NI has been invaluable, particularly the assistance to help us purchase vital equipment for our new premises. Without it we wouldn’t have been able to target and deliver bigger contracts with major supermarkets like Aldi.

“We are excited to begin this new venture with Aldi, who have been fantastic in supporting us with this transition to a new pack format. From the first samples to seeing the product on shelf, their team have been incredibly supportive, which is giving us the confidence to target more new retail customers in what is turning out to be a very valuable market.”